Portable complex sensor device for measuring multiple items of biometric information, and measurement method

ABSTRACT

A portable complex sensor device for measuring multiple items of biometric information, according to the present invention, comprises: a plurality of electrodes for receiving the biometric information; a plurality of biometric information measuring circuits for measuring the biometric information received from the plurality of electrodes; a plurality of current sensors which are always supplied with power so as to sense electric current when an object to be measured contacts the electrodes; a wireless communication means for transmitting and receiving data to and from a smart phone; and a microcontroller for controlling the power supply of a battery by being operated in a sleep mode or an active mode on the basis of whether the current sensors have sensed the electric current.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 16/063,963, filed on Jun. 19, 2018, which is theU.S. national stage application of PCT Application No.PCT/KR2017/008579, filed on Aug. 8, 2017, which claims priority toKorean Patent Application No. 10-2016-0100635, filed on Aug. 8, 2016.The entire contents of these applications are incorporated herein byreference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a portable complex sensor device formeasuring a plurality of pieces of biometric information and ameasurement method, and more particularly, to a card-type portablecomplex sensor device that is, as a single complex sensor device,capable of automatically selecting and measuring different types of testitems including an electrocardiogram and blood glucose and displayingmeasurement results on a smartphone and a measurement method therefor bywirelessly connecting the portable complex sensor device to thesmartphone.

BACKGROUND ART

As portable health measurement devices, products for measuring a singleitem such as blood glucose or an electrocardiogram (ECG) arecommercially available, but for the measurement of a plurality of testitems including blood glucose and an electrocardiogram, there has beeninconvenience for a user to separately carry respective measurementdevices. Thus, complex sensor measurement devices capable of measuringdifferent types of measurement items in a single device are needed.These complex sensor measurement devices should be small-sized with asmall volume, and power consumption thereof should be low for long-termuse of a battery.

As a prior art, Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2014-0065801 disclosesa sensor input system and a technique in which a sensor is selectedaccording to a selection signal selected from a portable terminal.

Generally, a single portable complex sensor measurement device requiresa power switch, a selection switch for choosing a test item, and adisplay configured to show measured data. However, such a mechanicalpower switch or a mechanical selection switch and a display increase thevolume or area of the portable measurement device and cause batterypower consumption problem and a limitation on miniaturization. Inaddition, unless a blood glucose measurement circuit and an ECGmeasurement circuit of a complex sensor device are separately configuredand power supply thereto is separately controlled, all the circuitsoperate when power is turned on and thus power consumption increases,and therefore, it is necessary to operate only a circuit of the requiredfunction.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems andneeds, and an object of the present invention is to provide a portablecomplex sensor device that performs operations by automaticallyselecting only the corresponding measurement circuit in a single complexsensor device without using a mechanical switch so that miniaturizationis achieved, and displays measurement results on a smartphone.

Technical Solution

According to one aspect of the present invention, provided is a portablecomplex sensor device for measuring a plurality of pieces of biometricinformation, including: a plurality of biometric information measurementcircuit units configured to measure the plurality of pieces of biometricinformation; a plurality of input terminal sets allowing each of theplurality of biometric information measurement circuit units to receivean input signal; a plurality of current sensors configured such that,when a subject having biometric information is electrically connected toone of the plurality of input terminal sets, a current flows in thesubject having biometric information through the electrically connectedinput terminal set, configured to generate an output signal when sensingthe current, and supplied with power at all times; an AD converterconnected to an output terminal of each of the biometric informationmeasurement circuit units and configured to convert an analog signalinto a digital signal; a wireless communication device configured totransmit or receive data to or from a smartphone; and a microcontrollerconfigured to receive an output of the AD converter, wherein themicrocontroller is supplied with power of a battery embedded in theportable complex sensor device; when the portable complex sensor deviceis not in use for biometric information measurement, the microcontrolleroperates in a sleep mode and the plurality of biometric informationmeasurement circuit units, the AD converter, and the wirelesscommunication device are powered off; the microcontroller operates in anactive mode when receiving the output signal of the current sensor, andcontrols one of the plurality of biometric information measurementcircuit units corresponding to the current sensor, the AD converter, andthe wireless communication device to be powered on; the portable complexsensor device displays measured biometric information data on a screenof the smartphone; and the portable complex sensor device is a thincredit card type, and includes a plurality of electrocardiogramelectrodes and a blood test strip insertion hole at a case of theportable complex sensor device.

The plurality of pieces of biometric information includeselectrocardiogram information and blood information, and the bloodinformation includes at least one of a blood glucose level, a ketonelevel, and an international normalized ratio (INR).

The wireless communication device supports Bluetooth low energy (BLE).

The current sensed by the current sensor is a direct current.

According to another aspect of the present invention, provided is amethod of measuring a plurality of pieces of biometric information byusing a portable complex sensor device and a smartphone, including:displaying a plurality of selection buttons used to select biometricinformation, on a display of the smartphone when a smartphoneapplication is executed; when one of the plurality of selection buttonsis selected and contacted, transmitting information of the correspondingbutton to the portable complex sensor device; activating amicrocontroller of the portable complex sensor device using one of aplurality of current sensors; receiving the information of thecorresponding button through a wireless communication device, thereceiving being performed by the activated microcontroller; powering ona biometric information measurement circuit unit corresponding to thereceived button information and performing a measurement operation, thepowering and the performing being performed by the microcontroller;powering on an AD converter, performing AD conversion of an output ofthe biometric information measurement circuit unit, and transmitting theoutput to the microcontroller, the powering being performed by themicrocontroller and the performing and transmitting being performed bythe AD converter; transmitting the measured biometric information to thesmartphone via the wireless communication device, the transmitting beingperformed by the microcontroller; displaying the measured biometricinformation on a screen of the smartphone; and storing the measuredbiometric information in a memory of the smartphone.

Advantageous Effects

A portable complex sensor device according to the present invention,which is a single credit card-type device, is convenient to carry andthus is not limited by time and place, can measure a plurality of piecesof medical information, and wirelessly communicates with a smartphone,thus provides user convenience.

In addition, when the portable complex sensor device according to thepresent invention is not in use, all circuits except for current sensorsare powered off and only a microcontroller enters into a sleep mode,whereas when in use, the microcontroller enters into an active mode andpower is delivered to only a target circuit. Accordingly, powerconsumption of a battery embedded in the portable complex sensor devicecan be maximally reduced.

In addition, the portable complex sensor device according to the presentinvention does not include a mechanical power switch or a mechanicalselection switch, and thus can be miniaturized and thinned and does notcause unnecessary inconvenience due to the use of switches by a user,the possibility of switch malfunction, a limited lifespan, and anincrease in manufacturing costs. In addition, when a user uses theportable complex sensor device, a user does not need to know whichswitch should be used when or how, and thus it is convenient to use.

In addition, the portable complex sensor device according to the presentinvention does not include a display such as a LCD or the like, thus notcausing the possibility of display breakdown, deterioration of adisplay, and an increase in manufacturing costs, and is small in sizeand thus it is convenient to use.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable complex sensor deviceaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a circuit embedded in a portable complexsensor device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a circuit embedded in a portable complexsensor device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary diagram of a smartphone display when a smartphoneapplication according to the present invention is executed.

FIG. 5 is an operation flowchart of a complex sensor device according tothe present invention when an electrocardiogram is measured.

FIG. 6 is an operation flowchart of a complex sensor device according tothe present invention when a blood glucose level is measured.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a smartphone application according to thepresent invention.

BEST MODE

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described withreference to the accompanying drawings. In the present embodiment, acase in which a portable complex sensor device includes anelectrocardiogram (ECG) measurement device and a blood glucosemeasurement device in a combined form will be described as an example,but the present invention is not limited thereto. The blood glucosemeasurement device may be a device with a function of measuring bloodinformation other than blood glucose, for example, a ketone level or aninternational normalized ratio (INR) of a drop of capillary blood on ablood test strip.

The electrocardiogram measurement is performed by bringing two or moreelectrodes into contact with different sites of a human body andmeasuring one or more voltages generated from the heart. When anelectrocardiogram is measured by bringing the more electrodes intocontact with predetermined specific sites of a human body, the morepieces of information on the activity of the heart can be acquired.Thus, although the embodiments of the present invention, which will bedescribed below, describe the portable complex sensor device when it hasa pair of electrocardiogram electrodes, the portable complex sensordevice according to the present invention may include more than a pairof electrocardiogram electrodes in other cases of the portable complexsensor device according to the present invention.

The blood glucose level or the ketone level may be measured using anamperometric method. The INR is a measure of blood coagulation tendencyand may be measured using an electrical impedance method, anamperometric method, a mechanical method, or the like, for capillaryblood. A blood test strip insertion hole that enables a blood test stripneeded for the blood characteristic test to be inserted therethrough maybe included at a case of the portable complex sensor device according tothe present invention.

The portable complex sensor device for measuring an ECG and a bloodglucose level has been made to address the following problems anddrawbacks.

The first problem is as follows. For the maximization of userconvenience, there should be no need for a user to keep or carefullyread the manual. In addition, as simple a user manual as possible ispreferable. In addition, it is required that a user use a device usingonly as few rules as possible. It is more preferable that a user can usea device without usage rules. In a case in which a user uses ameasurement system without usage rules, the measurement system shouldcope with an arbitrary method used by a user. For example, a user mayfirst execute a smartphone application, or may first operate a currentsensor of the complex sensor device. Thus, the smartphone applicationand the complex sensor device should provide desired results regardlessof an operation order of a user. Therefore, it is necessary to configurethe smartphone application and the electronic circuits and the firmwareof the complex sensor device to provide desired results without errorsfor a number of cases of all possible operation orders. However, it isdifficult to configure the smartphone application and the electroniccircuits and the firmware of the complex sensor device to cope with anyusage method not in accordance with automatic operation orders withoutusage rules.

The second problem is as follows. When a blood glucose level is measuredusing a complex sensor device capable of measuring an ECG and a bloodglucose level, a user may unconsciously touch an ECG electrode attachedto the complex sensor device. In this case, a current sensorcorresponding to ECG measurement operates, and this causes the complexsensor device to start measuring an undesired ECG, and then undesiredECG measurement results will be displayed on a smartphone display. Thus,when measuring a blood glucose level, ECG measurement should not starteven though a user unconsciously touches ECG electrodes. However, thisis not in accordance with an originally planned operation method inwhich an ECG measurement starts when ECG electrodes are touched for anECG measurement.

The third problem is as follows. It is possible that a user use anoperation method including the following processes 1), 2), and 3): 1)For ECG measurement, first, a user who intends to operate a complexsensor device touches a pair of electrodes of the complex sensor device.At this time, a current sensor operates and consequently, the complexsensor device is powered on; 2) Then the user executes a smartphoneapplication for the ECG measurement and selects ECG measurement; and 3)For the ECG measurement, the user starts ECG measurement by touchingagain the pair of electrodes of the complex sensor device. However, themethod including the processes 1), 2), and 3) described above causes thefollowing drawbacks. As soon as the pair of electrodes of the complexsensor device is first touched, the complex sensor device becomespowered on immediately, and thus the second touch becomes a meaninglessaction. To solve this problem, there arises a difficulty indistinguishing the first touch from the second touch and thedistinguished touches should be treated separately. This problem may beeasily solved when there are usage rules and a user uses the complexsensor device according to the usage rules. However, it is ratherpreferable to allow the user to use the above sequence and makesolutions capable of accommodating it.

The fourth problem is as follows. In the case of ECG measurement, it isrequired that ECG measurement is generally performed for a certainperiod of time, for example, 30 seconds. For this, an ECG may bemeasured for 30 seconds from when a pair of electrodes of a complexsensor device are touched and connected to a smartphone. However, thiscan be possible only when a measurement start point can be determined.In the sequence including the processes 1), 2), and 3) described in theabove third problem, it is difficult to determine when the measurementstart point is.

The fifth problem is as follows. When a blood glucose level is measuredusing a complex sensor device, it takes a considerable period of time toinsert a blood test strip into a strip insertion hole of the complexsensor device, put blood on the strip, and complete measurement. Duringthis period of time, it is necessary to block communication between thecomplex sensor device and a smartphone to reduce battery consumption.Thus, it is preferable that the complex sensor device transmitsmeasurement results to a smartphone only after blood glucose levelmeasurement is completed. In addition, since it is clear that a userwants to measure a blood glucose level when a blood test strip isinserted into a strip insertion hole, the user does not need to select ablood glucose measurement button in a smartphone display and needs onlyto start a smartphone application. However, in other cases, another userwho wants to measure blood glucose may first try to select a bloodglucose measurement button in a smartphone display. Thus, the smartphoneapplication should accept the above two usage methods by various userswho want to measure blood glucose.

The sixth problem is as follows. It is necessary to power on only an ECGmeasurement circuit for ECG measurement, and it is necessary to power ononly a blood glucose measurement circuit for blood glucose measurement.Otherwise, battery power is wasted. However, there is a need to solvethis problem without using a power switch or selection switch for eachcircuit.

The seventh problem is as follows. For ECG measurement,analog-to-digital (AD) conversion should be performed on an output of anECG measurement circuit, and for blood glucose measurement, ADconversion should be performed on an output of a blood glucosemeasurement circuit. That is, when a single AD converter is used, aninput of the AD converter should be selected to an output of a targetmeasurement circuit. However, this problem should be solved in a statein which there is no selection switch in the complex sensor device.

The present invention solves the above-described problems throughsystematic circuit design and software design.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable complex sensor deviceaccording to the present invention. The portable complex sensor device170 includes a pair of electrodes 172 and 174 configured to measure anECG and spaced apart from each other on an upper surface thereof by apredetermined distance, and a blood test strip insertion hole 176 formedin a side surface thereof and allowing a blood test strip 178 to beinserted thereinto for blood glucose measurement.

The portable complex sensor device according to the present inventionmay be a credit card type with a thickness of less than 6 mm for highportability. A power supply may be a CR2032-type battery consideringdesirable lifespan of about two years.

In addition, the portable complex sensor device does not include amechanical power switch or a mechanical selection switch forminiaturization thereof, and does not use a display to reduce powerconsumption.

For the portable complex sensor device according to the presentinvention, current sensors are used instead of using a mechanical powerswitch or a mechanical selection switch. The current sensors aresupplied with power needed for operation at all times and stand by togenerate an output signal when an event occurs. When a subject havingbiometric information is electrically connected with one of the currentsensors, a loop through which a current can flow is formed. Thus, whenthe subject having biometric information is electrically connected tothe current sensor, the current sensor allows a minute current to flowin the subject having biometric information, and the current sensorsenses the minute current and generates an output signal. When theportable complex sensor device is not in use, only the current sensorsoperate and the remaining circuits are powered off, while amicrocontroller waits in a sleep mode. When a current sensor senses acurrent through the insertion of a blood test strip or the occurrence ofan event in which electrodes are touched by both hands, themicrocontroller is activated and turns the corresponding circuits on.

The current sensed by the current sensors are supplied from a batteryincluded in the portable complex sensor device and may be a directcurrent.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are example block diagrams respectively illustrating acircuit embedded in the portable complex sensor device according to thepresent invention. Each block illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 may berealized using commercialized components by a conventional technique.

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a portable complex sensor device 170in which both a microcontroller 280 and a plurality of current sensors220 and 250 are directly connected to a battery 200 so that power issupplied thereto and a power switch is not included. All arrowsillustrated as entering the top of each block denote power supply lines.Except for an arrow coming out from a microcontroller 280 and enteringan input terminal of a wireless communication device 290, arrowsillustrated as coming out of a battery 200 and the microcontroller 280denote power supply lines. Power of a blood glucose current sensor 220and an ECG current sensor 250 is directly supplied from the battery 200via the power supply lines directly connected to the battery 200. Whenthe microcontroller 280 sets power supply lines coming out from themicrocontroller 280 High, a blood glucose measurement circuit unit 230,an ECG measurement circuit unit 260, an AD converter 270, and thewireless communication device 290 may be supplied with power, and whenthe microcontroller 280 sets the power supply lines coming out from themicrocontroller 280 Low, the above-described elements are powered off.Herein, High and Low denote voltages, and for example, High is 3 V andLow is 0 V.

FIG. 3 illustrates a second embodiment in which only the microcontroller280 is directly connected to the battery 200 so that power is suppliedthereto from the battery 200 and a power switch is not included. Whenthe microcontroller 280 sets power supply lines High, a plurality ofcurrent sensors 220 and 250, a plurality of biometric informationmeasurement circuit units 230 and 260, the AD converter 270, and thewireless communication device 290 may be supplied with power, and whenthe microcontroller 280 sets the power supply lines Low, theabove-described components are powered off. Even when themicrocontroller 280 is in a sleep mode, power is supplied to the bloodglucose current sensor 220 and the ECG current sensor 250 via the powersupply line of the microcontroller 280.

In FIGS. 2 and 3 , an input terminal set 210 is arranged in a blood teststrip insertion hole 176 and indicates a plurality of electricalterminals configured to electrically connect a blood test strip 178 tothe input terminal of the blood glucose measurement circuit unit 230when the blood test strip 178 is inserted into the blood test stripinsertion hole 176. In addition, in FIGS. 2 and 3 , an input terminalset 240 indicates a plurality of electrical terminals configured toelectrically connect a plurality of ECG electrodes arranged at a case ofthe portable complex sensor device according to the present invention tothe input terminals of the ECG measurement circuit unit 230.

Although FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate that the current sensor 250 and themicrocontroller 280 are supplied with power from the battery 200, thecurrent sensor 250 and the microcontroller 280 may be supplied withpower via a DC-DC converter or a voltage regulator supplied with powerfrom the battery 200. In addition, although FIGS. 2 and 3 illustratethat the biometric information measurement circuit units 230 and 260,the AD converter 270, and the wireless communication device 290 arepowered ON/OFF by the microcontroller, in some embodiments, thebiometric information measurement circuit units 230 and 260, the ADconverter 270, and the wireless communication device 290 may be suppliedwith power via a DC-DC converter or a voltage regulator, and the DC-DCconverter or the voltage regulator may be powered ON/OFF by themicrocontroller 280. In addition, arrows illustrated as coming out ofthe microcontroller 280 may denote lines for controlling power supply ofthe corresponding blocks.

Blood glucose measurement according to the present invention isperformed as follows. When a user inserts the blood test strip 178 intothe blood test strip insertion hole 176, the input terminal set 210 iselectrically connected to the blood test strip 178. At this time, theblood glucose current sensor 220 senses a minute current flowing throughthe blood test strip 178 and automatically generates an output signal.The output signal of the blood glucose current sensor 220 activates themicrocontroller 280 having been in a sleep mode. As a result, themicrocontroller 280 powers on the blood glucose measurement circuit unit230 and the AD converter 270. The blood glucose measurement circuit unit230 performs blood glucose measurement when blood is put on the bloodtest strip 178 and generates an output signal. The output signal of theblood glucose measurement circuit unit 230 is converted into a digitalsignal by the AD converter 270. The digital signal is converted to ablood glucose level by the microcontroller 280 and the obtained bloodglucose level is transmitted to a smartphone via the wirelesscommunication device 290 and an antenna 292. The smartphone displays theblood glucose level on a screen of the smartphone.

The ECG measurement according to the present invention is performed asfollows. When a user touches the pair of electrodes 172 and 174 withboth hands, the ECG current sensor 250 allows a minute current to flowthrough the both hands and detects the minute current flowing throughthe both hands. Then, the current sensor 250 changes the microcontroller280 from a sleep mode to an active mode. Consequently, themicrocontroller 280 powers on the ECG measurement circuit unit 260 andthe AD converter 270 and transmits an output of the AD converter 270receiving an output of the ECG measurement circuit unit 260 to asmartphone via the wireless communication device 290. The smartphonereceiving the data displays an ECG waveform. When measurement for acertain period of time is completed, the microcontroller 280 enters intoa sleep mode and waits for the next touch of both hands.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary view illustrating a case in which a smartphoneapplication according to the present invention is executed, andillustrates touch buttons 432, 434, 436, 442, 444, 446, and 450 on adisplay 420 of a smartphone 410. To measure an ECG, a user touches theECG measurement button 432. Subsequently, when the pair of electrodes172 and 174 of the complex sensor device 170 are respectively touchedwith both hands of a user, as described above, an ECG is measured in thecomplex sensor device 170 and the measured ECG is displayed in a chartform on the display 420, and the measured data is stored in thesmartphone 410. When a user wants to see the previously stored ECGmeasurement data again in a chart form, the user touches the open button434. To transmit the stored data to a doctor or a hospital, the sendbutton 436 is touched.

For blood glucose level measurement, a user touches the blood glucosemeasurement button 442. When the user inserts the blood test strip 178into the blood test strip insertion hole 176 and puts blood on the bloodtest strip 178, as described above, blood glucose measurement isperformed in the complex sensor device 170 and measurement results aredisplayed on the display 420 of the smartphone 410. When the user wantsto see the previously stored blood glucose level again in a chart form,the open button 444 is touched. To transmit the stored data to a doctoror a hospital, the send button 446 is touched.

The buttons 432, 434, and 436 related to an ECG are configured in an ECGbox 430, and the buttons 442, 444, and 446 related to blood glucose areconfigured in a blood glucose box 440. The setting button 450 is touchedwhen intending to record a name, birth date, gender, an address, and thelike of a user or to set selection items.

FIG. 5 is an operation flowchart of the complex sensor device 170according to the present invention when an ECG is measured. For ECGmeasurement, a user touches the pair of electrodes 172 and 174 of thecomplex sensor device 170 respectively with both hands (operation 510).Then, the current sensor 250 that senses a minute current flowingthrough a human body between the both hands generates an output signal(operation 515). The output signal causes the microcontroller 280 to beinterrupted to thereby activate the microcontroller 280 (operation 520).The activated microcontroller 280 activates the wireless communicationdevice 290. Hereinafter, a case in which the wireless communicationdevice 290 is a Bluetooth low energy device will be described. Thewireless communication device 290 of the complex sensor device 170perform an advertising operation as a Bluetooth low energy peripheraldevice (operation 525). At this time, the smartphone 410, which has beenperforming scanning as a Bluetooth low energy central device, discoversand tries to access the complex sensor device 170. At this time, whenthe complex sensor device 170 approves the access, the smartphone 410and the complex sensor device 170 are in a Bluetooth low energyconnection state (operation 530).

In this regard, when the ECG measurement button 432 of the smartphone410 is touched (operation 535), the microcontroller 280 powers on theECG measurement circuit unit 260. As described in the above secondproblem, the pair of electrodes 172 and 174 of the complex sensor device170 may be touched unconsciously or in error while a user measures ablood glucose level. Thus, there is a need for a method ofdistinguishing between whether the pair of electrodes 172 and 174 aretouched by a user for ECG measurement and whether to be touched inerror. Therefore, in the present invention, the ECG measurement buttonconfirmation process (operation 535) of FIG. 5 is used as a method ofdistinguishing between reasons why the pair of electrodes 172 and 174are touched.

The microcontroller 280 that has received a request for ECG measurementselects only the ECG measurement circuit unit 260 to power on (operation540). Thus, in the present invention, the ECG measurement circuit unit260 is powered on after confirming that a user intends to request ECGmeasurement. In addition, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 , thisoperation is performed by setting an output pin of the microcontroller280 connected to the ECG measurement circuit unit 260 High. Through thisprocess, the sixth problem is solved.

Next, it is confirmed using the current sensor 250 whether the pair ofelectrodes 172 and 174 are touched with both hands (operation 545). Thisprocess determines when the microcontroller 280 starts ECG measurement,i.e., when to start AD conversion. That is, the fourth problem issolved. When this condition is satisfied, the microcontroller 280 startsECG measurement (AD conversion) (operation 550). When a user who wantsto measure an ECG opens a smartphone application, touches the ECGmeasurement button 432, and continuously maintains a state in which thepair of electrodes 172 and 174 are touched with both hands, theelectrode touch confirmation process (operation 545) is automaticallysatisfied. Thus, operation 545 does not restrict user convenience or adda limitation to ECG measurement. However, if a user has not yet touchedthe pair of electrodes 172 and 174 after coming into contact with thepair of electrodes 172 and 174 (operation 510) and touching the ECGmeasurement button 432 of the smartphone 410, the complex sensor device170 waits until a user touches the pair of electrodes 172 and 174 again.Therefore, operation 545 of FIG. 5 is one of the important processes ofthe present invention.

The above-described third problem is solved by procedures of operation510 to operation 545 and procedures of an application of FIG. 7corresponding thereto. That is, the reason why the ECG electrodes 172and 174 are touched (operation 510) is confirmed by checking whether theECG measurement button 432 is selected in a smartphone (operation 535),and it is confirmed whether the pair of electrodes 172 and 174 are in atouched state (operation 545), (with the above two confirmations it isconfirmed whether the whole preparation for ECG measurement iscompleted) and thereafter, the ECG measurement starts (operation 550).Accordingly, the third problem is solved. In addition, these processesand procedures provide an accurate start point of ECG measurement (ADconversion) and accordingly, the present invention has solved the fourthproblem.

Meanwhile, procedures from operation 510 to operation 545 do not provideinconveniences for a user or do not delay measurement time. Afterexecuting an application and then touching the ECG measurement button432 once in the display 420 of the smartphone 410, a user simply touchesthe ECG electrodes 172 and 174 to measure an ECG.

After the above process, the microcontroller 280 starts ECG measurement(operation 550). That is, between an input terminal of the AD converter270, connected to an output of the ECG measurement circuit unit 260 andan input terminal of the AD converter 270, connected to an output of theblood glucose measurement circuit unit 230, the microcontroller 280 setsthe AD converter 270 so as to select the former. This operation isperformed by setting a configuration register of the microcontroller 280related to AD conversion. Subsequently, the microcontroller 280 performsAD conversion in accordance with a predetermined AD conversion periodand obtains AD conversion results. In the present invention, the seventhproblem corresponding to ECG measurement is solved by this process,firmware for executing this process, and the circuit of FIG. 2 or FIG. 3.

The measured ECG data is transmitted to the smartphone 410 (operation555), and when a predetermined measurement time, for example, 30 secondshas elapsed, the microcontroller 280 enters into a sleep mode (operation560).

FIG. 6 is an operation flowchart of the complex sensor device 170according to the present invention when a blood glucose level ismeasured. To measure a blood glucose level, when a user inserts theblood test strip 178 into the blood test strip insertion hole 176, theblood glucose current sensor 220 detects a minute current and generatesan output signal (operation 615). The output signal causes themicrocontroller 280 to be interrupted, thereby activating themicrocontroller 280 (operation 620). At this time, the microcontroller280 might have been already activated by an unconscious or erroneoustouch of the pair of electrodes 172 and 174, which is theabove-described second problem, and thus might have been in an ECGmeasurement process. However, this problem can be solved by prioritizingan interruption due to the output of the blood glucose current sensor220 over an interruption due to the output of the ECG current sensor250. Through this, the present invention solves the second problem.

Since the activated microcontroller 280 has received a request for bloodglucose measurement, the microcontroller 280 selects only the bloodglucose measurement circuit unit 230 to power on (operation 625). Thatis, in the present invention, the blood glucose measurement circuit unit230 is powered on after a request for blood glucose measurement has beenreceived. In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3 , thisoperation is performed through an output pin of the microcontroller 280connected to the blood glucose measurement circuit unit 230.Accordingly, the present invention solves the above sixth problemcorresponding to blood glucose measurement.

Subsequently, the microcontroller 280 starts blood glucose measurement(operation 630). First, between the input terminal of the AD converter270, connected to the output of the ECG measurement circuit unit 260 andthe input terminal of the AD converter 270, connected to the output ofthe blood glucose measurement circuit unit 230, the microcontroller 280sets the AD converter 270 to select the latter. This operation isperformed by setting a configuration register of the microcontroller 280related to AD conversion. Subsequently, the microcontroller 280 performsAD conversion in accordance with a predetermined AD conversion periodand obtains AD conversion results. In the present invention, theabove-described seventh problem corresponding to blood glucosemeasurement is solved by this operation, firmware for executing thisoperation, and the circuit of FIG. 2 or FIG. 3 .

When the blood glucose measurement is completed, the complex sensordevice 170 advertises as a Bluetooth low energy peripheral device(operation 635). Since the advertising operation 635 is performed afterthe blood glucose measurement is completed, power consumption of thebattery 200 embedded in the complex sensor device 170 is reduced. Atthis time, since the smartphone 410 is in a process of performingscanning as a Bluetooth low energy central device, the smartphone 410discovers and tries to access the complex sensor device 170. At thistime, once the complex sensor device 170 approves the access, thesmartphone 410 and the complex sensor device 170 are in a connectedstate (operation 640). When the complex sensor device 170 is in aconnected state, blood glucose measurement data is transmitted to thesmartphone 410 (operation 645) and the microcontroller 280 enters into asleep mode (operation 650).

Although it has been described that for blood glucose measurement, whenthe blood test strip 178 is inserted into the blood test strip insertionhole 176, the current sensor 220 generates an output, the presentinvention is not limited thereto. It is possible that the current sensor220 may detect a minute current and automatically generate an outputwhen a drop of blood is put on the blood test strip 178.

All the circuits of FIGS. 2 and 3 are powered by the battery 200embedded in the complex sensor device 170. In FIGS. 2 and 3 , anymechanical power switch, any mechanical selection switch, and anydisplay are not used. In FIGS. 2 and 3 , when the complex sensor device170 is not in use for measurement, only the blood glucose current sensor220, the ECG current sensor 250, and the microcontroller 280 consumeapproximately 1 μA respectively and all the other blocks are completelypowered off. That is, total power consumption of the complex sensordevice 170 in a waiting mode is approximately 3 μA. The capacity of thecommonly used CR2032 is approximately 200 mAh. Thus, a waiting time ofthe portable complex sensor device 170 using the CR2032 is, for example,about 7.6 years. Much of the power consumed during measurement isconsumed for wireless communication and power consumed duringmeasurement is approximately 10 mA. In a case in which ECG measurementis performed for 30 seconds once a day and blood glucose measurement isperformed for 5 seconds once a day, based on measurement time includingwireless communication, even though power consumed for a waiting periodis included, a single CR2032 battery can be used for, for example, aboutthree years.

FIG. 7 illustrates both a flowchart of an application used when an ECGis measured and a flowchart of an application when blood glucose ismeasured, for the sake of convenience. However, actually, a singlemeasurement flowchart is performed at a time. When a user starts anapplication according to the present invention, as illustrated in FIG. 4, a variety of touch buttons are displayed on the display 420 of thesmartphone 410 (operation 710).

First, the case of ECG measurement will be described. As illustrated inFIG. 7 , a flow for ECG measurement consists of two streams: a centralstream (operations 722, 724, 726, 728, 730, and 732) and a Bluetooth lowenergy (BLE) stream (operations 752 and 754). When an applicationstarts, a variety of buttons are displayed on the display 420 of thesmartphone 410 (operation 710), and then the BLE stream (operations 752and 754) for performing Bluetooth low energy communication is started. Auser who wants to measure an ECG touches the ECG measurement button 432(operation 722). Logically, it may be thought that the BLE stream(operations 752 and 754) should start by touching (operation 722) of theECG measurement button 432. The reason why the BLE stream (operations752 and 754) starts before the ECG measurement button 432 is touched(operation 722) in the present invention is because operations 772 and774 in blood glucose measurement may be unnecessary since an intent forblood glucose measurement can be clearly known by insertion of the bloodtest strip 178 without touching the blood glucose measurement button442. This is arranged so that the following is accomplished: when theblood glucose measurement strip 178 is inserted, blood glucosemeasurement is automatically completed, and then blood glucosemeasurement results are displayed on the display 420 of the smartphone410.

When a user touches the ECG measurement button 432 (operation 722), asignal for requesting ECG measurement is transmitted to the BLE stream(operations 752 and 754) (operation 724). In addition, a message forrequesting a user to touch the pair of electrodes 172 and 174 isdisplayed on the display 420 of the smartphone 410 (operation 724). Inthe BLE stream (operations 752 and 754), the signal for requesting ECGmeasurement is transmitted to the complex sensor device 170.

The complex sensor device 170 having received the signal for requestingECG measurement performs the ECG measurement operation as illustrated inFIG. 5 and transmits the measured ECG data to the BLE stream (operations752 and 754). The BLE stream (operations 752 and 754) delivers the ECGdata received from the complex sensor device 170 to the central stream(operations 722, 724, 726, 728, 730, and 732). Subsequently, the centralstream (operations 722, 724, 726, 728, 730, and 732) receives the ECGdata (operation 726). In the central stream (operations 722, 724, 726,728, 730, and 732), the received ECG data is displayed in a chart formon the display 420 of the smartphone 410 (operation 728). When all theprocesses for ECG measurement are completed, the measured ECG data isstored in a file form in a smartphone storage device (operation 730). Ina state in which the measured ECG data is displayed in a chart form onthe display 420 of the smartphone 410, the smartphone application waitsfor a user to press an application stop button to finish the application(operation 732).

As illustrated in FIG. 7 , a flow for blood glucose measurement consistsof two streams: a central stream (operations 772, 774, 776, 778, 780,and 782) and a BLE stream (operations 752 and 754). When an applicationstarts, a variety of buttons are displayed on the display 420 of thesmartphone 410, and then the BLE stream (operations 752 and 754) forperforming Bluetooth low energy communication is started.

When a user touches the blood glucose measurement button 442 (operation772), a message for requesting a user to insert a blood test strip isdisplayed on the display 420 of the smartphone 410 (operation 774).However, a signal for requesting blood glucose measurement is not sentto the BLE stream (operations 752 and 754). This is different from acase in which for ECG measurement, when a user presses the ECGmeasurement button (operation 722), a signal for requesting ECGmeasurement is sent to the BLE stream (operations 752 and 754)(operation 724). This is because a user does not need to performoperations 772 and 774 to measure blood glucose. This is because, toinitiate blood glucose measurement, a user only needs to insert theblood test strip 178 into the blood test strip insertion hole 176.

Operations 772 and 774 are merely arranged based on the assumption thatfor blood glucose measurement, a user may think he or she should selectthe blood glucose measurement button of the application and may want todo so. That is, this is because if the blood glucose measurement button442 is not displayed when a user who wants to measure blood glucoseexecutes the application, the user feels embarrassed with a thought ofsomething is wrong. Thus, in FIG. 7 , operation 774 does only displayinga message for requesting a user to insert a blood test strip on thedisplay 420 of the smartphone 410. Accordingly, the above-describedfifth problem is solved.

Due to the above-described reason, subsequent operations 776, 778, 780,and 782 are performed even when operations 772 and 774 are not performedby a user. When the blood test strip 178 is inserted into the blood teststrip insertion hole 176 (operation 610), the complex sensor device 170performs the blood glucose measurement described in FIG. 6 , andtransmits the measured blood glucose data to the BLE stream (operations752 and 754) (operation 645). The BLE stream (operations 752 and 754)delivers the blood glucose data having received from the complex sensordevice 170 to the central stream. Then, the central stream receives theblood glucose data (operation 776). In the central stream, the receivedblood glucose data is displayed on the display 420 of the smartphone 410(operation 778).

The above blood glucose measurement method which can be achieved byinserting the blood test strip 178 into the blood test strip insertionhole 176 without performing operations 772 and 774 provides considerableuser convenience, simplicity of procedures, and reduced measurementtime, compared to the blood glucose measurement method which includesoperations 772 and 774. In addition, the present invention whichaccommodates operations 772 and 774, provides considerable userconvenience in that measurement is performed by a user in any manner,and there is no need for a user to thoroughly know usage rules. That is,the present invention accommodates a variety of measurement methods forvarious users.

After displaying the blood glucose level (operation 778), the measuredblood glucose level is stored in a file form in a smartphone storagedevice (operation 780). In a state in which the measured blood glucoselevel is displayed on the display 420 of the smartphone 410, asmartphone application waits for a user to press an applicationtermination button and finish blood glucose measurement (operation 782).

As described above, although the present invention has been describedfor a case in which two pieces of biometric information including an ECGand blood glucose are measured using a single portable complex sensordevice and a smartphone application, the present invention is notlimited thereto and may be applied to various measurement items andvarious devices corresponding thereto. According to the presentinvention, a user can receive desired results without errors for anumber of cases of all possible operation orders by using a complexsensor device not including any mechanical switch or mechanicalselection switch, and any display, and a smartphone application withincreased user convenience.

While the above embodiment discusses a smartphone, one of ordinary skillin the art will appreciate that other devices may be used, and that theinvention is not limited to the smartphone. Any kinds of suitable devicemay be employed. For example, the mobile device may be a smartphone, asmart watch, a tablet such as an iPad, Galaxy tab, a mobile medicaldevice, and/or any portable device which a user uses.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

A portable complex sensor device according to the present inventionwirelessly communicates with a smartphone and is convenient to carry,thus is not limited by time and place, and may be used as a portablehealth measurement apparatus for acquiring a plurality of pieces ofmedical information such as blood glucose, an ECG, and the like.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A portable complex sensor device formeasuring a plurality of pieces of biometric information, the portablecomplex sensor device comprising: a plurality of biometric informationmeasurement circuit units configured to measure the plurality of piecesof biometric information; a plurality of input terminal sets configuredto allow each of the plurality of biometric information measurementcircuit units to receive an input signal; a plurality of current sensorsconfigured such that, when a subject having biometric information iselectrically connected to one of the plurality of input terminal sets, acurrent flows in the subject having biometric information through theelectrically connected input terminal set, configured to generate anoutput signal when sensing the current, and supplied with power at alltimes; an AD converter connected to an output terminal of each of thebiometric information measurement circuit units and configured toconvert an analog signal into a digital signal; a wireless communicationdevice configured to transmit or receive data to or from a mobiledevice; and a microcontroller configured to receive an output of the ADconverter, wherein the microcontroller is supplied with power of abattery embedded in the portable complex sensor device, when theportable complex sensor device is not in use for biometric informationmeasurement, the microcontroller operates in a sleep mode and theplurality of biometric information measurement circuit units, the ADconverter, and the wireless communication device are powered off, themicrocontroller operates in an active mode when receiving the outputsignal of the current sensor, and controls one of the plurality ofbiometric information measurement circuit units corresponding to thecurrent sensor, the AD converter, and the wireless communication deviceto be powered on, the portable complex sensor device displays measuredbiometric information data on a screen of the mobile device, and theportable complex sensor device comprises a plurality ofelectrocardiogram electrodes and a blood test strip insertion hole at acase of the portable complex sensor device.
 2. The portable complexsensor device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of pieces of biometricinformation comprises electrocardiogram information and bloodinformation.
 3. The portable complex sensor device of claim 2, whereinthe blood information comprises at least one of a blood glucose level, aketone level, and an international normalized ratio (INR).
 4. Theportable complex sensor device of claim 1, wherein the wirelesscommunication device supports Bluetooth low energy (BLE).
 5. Theportable complex sensor device of claim 1, wherein the current sensed bythe current sensor is a direct current.
 6. A method of measuring aplurality of pieces of biometric information by using a portable complexsensor device and a mobile device, the method comprising: displaying aplurality of selection buttons configured to allow a user to selectbiometric information, on a display of the mobile device when a mobiledevice application is executed; when one of the plurality of selectionbuttons is selected and contacted, transmitting information of thecorresponding button to the portable complex sensor device; activating amicrocontroller of the portable complex sensor device using one of aplurality of current sensors; receiving the information of thecorresponding button through a wireless communication device, thereceiving being performed by the activated microcontroller; powering ona biometric information measurement circuit unit corresponding to thereceived button information and performing a measurement operation, thepowering and the performing being performed by the microcontroller;powering on an AD converter, performing AD conversion of an output ofthe biometric information measurement circuit unit, and transmitting theoutput to the microcontroller, the powering being performed by themicrocontroller and the performing and transmitting being performed bythe AD converter; transmitting the measured biometric information to themobile device via the wireless communication device, the transmittingbeing performed by the microcontroller; displaying the measuredbiometric information on a screen of the mobile device; and storing themeasured biometric information in a memory of the mobile device.
 7. Themethod of claim 6, wherein the plurality of pieces of biometricinformation comprises electrocardiogram information and bloodinformation.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the blood informationcomprises at least one of a blood glucose level, a ketone level, and aninternational normalized ratio (INR).
 9. The method of claim 8, whereinin a priority order of an interruption for activating themicrocontroller, an interruption due to insertion of the blood teststrip is prioritized over an interruption due to contact of theelectrocardiogram electrodes.
 10. The method of claim 7, wherein, whenthe electrocardiogram information is measured, the method comprises:bringing a plurality of body sites into contact with a plurality ofelectrocardiogram electrodes included at a case of the portable complexsensor device; activating the microcontroller by an electrocardiogramcurrent sensor; confirming whether an electrocardiogram measurementbutton is selected in the mobile device via BLE communication; poweringon an electrocardiogram measurement circuit unit; and starting ADconversion for measurement data after confirming again whether theplurality of electrocardiogram electrodes are in a contact state. 11.The method of claim 7, wherein, when the blood information is measured,the method comprises: inserting a blood test strip into a blood teststrip insertion hole included at a case of the portable complex sensordevice; activating the microcontroller by a blood current sensor;powering on a blood measurement circuit unit; and performing ADconversion for measurement data.